On October 3, 2016, under Notice 2016-55, the IRS will announce that employees won’t be taxed when they forgo vacation, sick, or personal leave in exchange for employer contributions of amounts to Section 170(c) charitable organizations providing relief to Louisiana storm victims. Notice 2016-55 will also provide that employers may deduct the amounts contributed as

On August 14, 2016, President Obama declared several parishes in southern Louisiana major disaster areas because of the severe storms and flooding that occurred. These parishes included Acadia, Ascension, Avoyelles, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Livingston, Pointe Coupee, St. Helena, St. James, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Vermilion, Washington, West Baton Rouge, and West Feliciana.

If your principal residence is located in one of these parishes or your business’ principal place of business is located in one of these parishes, the designation of these parishes as a federally declared disaster area provides you with certain federal tax relief. This federal tax relief includes not only the suspension of certain deadlines to file tax returns or pay taxes, but also the ability to claim casualty losses incurred in the flooding on 2015 tax returns.
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As a result of the flooding throughout Louisiana, Governor John Bel Edwards issued Executive Order JBE 2016-053 to suspend deadlines in legal, administrative and regulatory proceedings.  The suspension is retroactive from Friday, August 12, 2016 and continues through Friday, September 9, 2016, unless amended, modified, terminated or rescinded by the Governor.

The Louisiana Department of